Condiments (e.g., ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, etc.) are often provided in a container adapted to dispense the condiment directly from the container. Traditionally, the container may contain a necked portion leading to an opening through which the condiment may be dispensed. In this regard, the necked portion may assist in controlling the flow of the condiment from the container. However, oftentimes it is difficult to initiate flow of the condiment from the container or to control the flow from the container once initiated.
In this regard, containers that are compressible or squeezable have been proposed. The squeezable containers may provide some obstruction in the opening of the container that significantly limits the flow of condiments from the bottle. To overcome this, the body of the container may be compressible or flexible such that the container may be squeezed to expel condiments from the opening. As the force exerted on the container body may be controlled, the amount of condiment expelled may be correspondingly controlled.
However, such squeezable containers often become messy when excess material is dispensed from the opening (e.g., as the user stops squeezing the container to stop the flow of the condiment from the container). In this regard, excess material may remain adjacent to the opening of the container on the exterior of the container or within the opening. Oftentimes such containers are provided with lids or closures that are used to close the opening of the container. The closures can also become soiled with excess material such that the opening of the container becomes messy, unsanitary, or, in some cases, blocked all together. This presents an unsightly, off-putting appearance of the bottle, can limit the effectiveness of the container to dispense the condiment, and can lead to the condiment coming in contact with the hands of the user or creating a mess where the container is stored. Furthermore, in the case where the opening is obstructed, excess force may be required to expel the buildup of condiment from the opening resulting in product waste or further spillage of the condiment as a large amount of condiment may be expelled as a result.